FABACEAE
Rhynchosia totta var. totta
Yellow Carpet Bean
Wildflowers© Joël Roerig (2019) • RV23
Local Context
Probably not uncommon, but so far only recorded near Osprey Dam. It is typically found trailing through grass in sandy, gravelly, or stony, well-drained soils.Identification
- Growth: Climbing, twining, or trailing perennial herb (0.2–1 m long) growing from a woody base or tuberous rootstock.
- Flowers: Small and yellow, often with reddish or maroon flushes or stripes on the main upper petal; they appear singly or in small, loose clusters of 1 to 3 flowers.
- Leaves: Can be single or divided into three leaflets; leaflets are very variable in shape from narrow and linear to narrowly egg-shaped (up to 9.5 cm long), with prominently raised, yellowish net-like veins.
- Texture: The leaves are leathery and range from mostly smooth and hairless to covered in silky or velvety hairs.
- Fruit: A small, slightly curved or sickle-shaped pod (15–37 mm long) covered in long silky and shorter hairs; it contains kidney-shaped seeds that are dark red mottled with black, or completely black.
Did You Know?
Rhynchosia totta is highly polymorphic, appearing in so many forms that it was once classified as 17 distinct species. This versatile plant spans nearly the entire African continent, adapting to diverse habitats ranging from arid shrublands and rocky slopes to open grasslands, where it modifies its growth habit to suit the environment.